


Sugar For a Smile

by LourenskiAnne



Series: Tales of a Midget and His Subordinate [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon Era, Chocolate, Eren Wants To Be Noticed, Humor, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) Has A Sweet Tooth, Levi is the devil, Light-Hearted, M/M, Oblivious Eren Yeager, Pastries, Sasha's excessive appetite, Short & Sweet, ereri, riren - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 15:42:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12015876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LourenskiAnne/pseuds/LourenskiAnne
Summary: Eren wants to make sure he and his friends still have it in themselves to laugh and have a good time.He recreates his mother's old chocolate molten cake recipe, hoping it to put smiles back on their faces. He also wants to know what his Captain has to say about it.He just isn't expecting Sasha's hand to be thwacked into the depths of hell when she dares to wake the midget's wrath by trying to snatch the cake away from him.





	Sugar For a Smile

**Author's Note:**

> I have some ideas for short, humourous stories about these two. This is the first one.  
> It's not set in a particular time. Just Eren being sweet and Levi being more of a brat than the actual brats around him. :v
> 
> Ah, and thanks to my childhood friend I now have Pocket Pops Levi and Eren ! They're so cute !
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy and excuse me for any grammar mistakes. o/

Eren couldn't wait to see them wiped off the surface of the earth, to live up to the day and time when the Titans, the ones causing him and his loved ones so much suffering, would at last meet their much deserved demise. He would fight, no matter how much or how long it took. He wouldn't stop until he reached his goal, to aid humanity on their way to victory and freedom with all he got.

However, he wasn't so blinded by his thirst for vengeance to not be able to see how tiresome it was. One look at his friends and the fatigue showing on their faces was as clear as day. The war was taking a toll on them, leaving the young soldiers both physically and mentally exhausted. Ever since he was a child, he was always bothered by the existence of walls around him. But back then, before the carnage dictated their future, he still had his parents, still had Armin to read books for him and Mikasa to save him from trouble.  
Today, they still did this for him, but in a totally different context.

Looking at his childhood friends, he missed the times when they would play together, hopeful and happy, despite the difficulties of life.

He remembered the times when he would watch his mother make cakes for him. They would invite Armin over for a bite and Mikasa wouldn't eat his leftovers, rather warning him that stuffing his face with cake could result in him feeling sick later.

Eren really missed their smiles. Not just his childhood friends', he missed the cheerfulness of his training squad buddies as well. He wanted to laugh with them again. Even Sasha and Connie were more serious nowadays. And that just wouldn't do.

Everyone needs a break from the dreadful terrors brought by the war, even if some deserve it more than others.

 

It was cleaning day at the headquarters. He was tasked with the kitchen this time, and was currently washing the dishes while Captain Levi tended to the stove. He listened in silence as the older man mumbled something to himself about how was it possible for someone to make such a mess to get a simple meal cooked. Eren gulped and made himself as small as possible. He may or may not have been one of those messy cookers.

Levi came over to him and deposited another pile of dirty dishes on the sink. A spoon fell to the ground and the man groaned, reaching down to grab it. Eren looked between the dishes and the raven questioningly, thinking that what he just finished washing were the last ones. He jumped when the Captain threw the spoon at the sink with enough force to make it hit the wall before landing on top of the other dishes.

  
"If I dream of who left those to rot inside of the stove, the asshole will never live it down." Levi all but growled, returning to his crouching position in front of the stove to continue to scrub at it.

  
Eren then got to work, grimacing at the crusted, unidentifiable residue stuck to the plates and bowls in front of him. He had to agree that they were, as Levi put it, left to rot inside of that stove. For how long, only God knows. At the very least, he wasn't guilty of that crime. Being under Levi's supervision, he, more than anyone, knew better than to try to avoid cleaning his mess by hiding it. He couldn't say that he was a very tidy person either, but such sneaky behaviour sounded more like something Connie or Horseface would do. Eren couldn't help but smile as the image of them very discreetly shoving their responsibilities in the stove crossed his mind. Despite everything, deep down they were still the same. It was comforting to know that not everything was broken beyond repair.

  
After some minutes of scrubbing and rinsing until they were clean and shining, most of the dishes were placed on the drainer, leaving only a few utensils and cutlery for Eren to wash before he was done with his task. He worked quietly, listening to the Captain's occasional, annoyed grunts, probably having found a stain that required more force to get rid of. He was almost finished and there wasn't much left for him to clean, so he would be happy to help his Captain with the problematic stove if the shorter man needed. He would even be glad to take work off the raven's hands and have him sit back and relax for once. Levi deserves that much. After all, he was a victim like Eren and his friends were. And he had to stand strong for himself, his subordinates who were counting on him, and his friends and comrades who were lost to him way too soon. Eren used to consider Levi a hero, his childish self looking up to him believing that as long as Humanity's Strongest stood and fought, it would be just a matter of time until they were free.

He still felt like this. Even after finding out that Levi wasn't as nice as what a child would believe a hero to be, he still considered him one. Now more than ever, since he himself is carrying a similar burden as Humanity's Hope. He finally understood how hard it was to know you're the one everyone is relying on.

He wished he could make his Captain smile, too.

His cheeks gained a slight rosy shade. It was safer to keep these feelings to himself, but he had come to the realisation that he wishes to please Levi more than he should. If he could make him smile, he would be absolutely delighted.

  
There was only one unwashed object left on the sink. Eren picked it up and was about to start rubbing it with his soapy sponge, but his eyes widened when he saw what the utensil was, recalling what it is used for.

A whisk. He hadn't seen one in a good while.  
Instantly a memory reached him. His beloved mother's hand over his own, small one holding the whisk as she guided him to blend the sweet mixture that would soon become a delicious and fluffy cake without making a mess of himself.

He smiled fondly and wiped the beginnings of tears from his eyes. He had an idea and really hoped he had the means to make it work.  
Quickly washing and putting away the whisk, he dried his hands on his pants, and proceeded to search the cupboards. He found nearly everything he would need. Butter, eggs, sugar, flour... Eren cursed his luck as he realised that the most important ingredient was missing. Chocolate was nowhere to be found. He sighed, defeated.

  
"What are you up to, brat ?"

  
Being so caught up in his plans to cheer up his friends and Captain, he almost forgot about the latter's presence in the room. He turned to find Levi staring at him with a thin eyebrow raised in question. The boy's next words came out before he could give them a second thought.

  
"Ah, sir ! May I have your permission to visit the market today ?"

  
Levi eyed him sceptically. Eren was starting to regret having asked.

  
"What do you want from there ?"

  
Ah, screw it. Now that it slipped, he might as well be honest. That last thing he needed was Levi thinking he was planning or trying to do anything suspicious.

  
"Well... I was thinking about my mom and remembered how she used to bake cakes when I was a child. I thought to make one myself, but... Her recipe requires chocolate and I can't find any."

  
Part of him feared that the Captain would turn him down. But unexpectedly, there's a flicker of hope in him when he noticed the shorter man's shoulders relax and his eyes soften in what appeared to be... sympathy ? Eren couldn't tell. He has yet to meet a person harder to read.

  
"There's no need."

  
Eren's semblance fell. For a moment he thought that maybe, just maybe, Levi would be willing to help him put his little plan into practice. It would be too much of a bother, though, to make the man escort him to the market for something that, in fact, wasn't really necessary. He just wanted to lighten the mood, that was all.

  
"Ah... Yes, you're right, sir. It was just a silly thought. Pay it no mind."

"I meant there's no need to walk all the way to the market. Wait here."

  
Eren watched dumbfounded as his Captain turned on his heel and left the room.  
He was confused, not knowing what to make of the situation. He was soon to find out however, so he just did as he was told and waited patiently.

After several minutes had passed, Levi returned. And in his hold was a medium-sized box that he placed atop the kitchen table.

  
"You better not put it to waste." He said, gesturing for Eren to take the box and crossing his arms afterwards.

  
Hesitantly, but with curiosity taking the best of him, Eren approached the box, carefully lifting its lid to reveal the contents inside.  
To say that it was unexpected was an understatement. Inside of the box Levi offered him were a few chocolate tablets and a can of cocoa powder. Where did the Captain get this ?  
He guessed it wasn't his place to question. Eren was just grateful and certainly wouldn't let his Captain's gift go to waste. He would double his efforts to make a delicious cake in memory of his mother, for his friends and now to prove Levi it wasn't a mistake to have faith in his baking skills.

Eren turned to Levi and didn't bother to contain the big smile on his face.

  
"Thank you, Sir ! I will do my best !" He said, saluting. Levi gave a small nod in response.

  
He was beaming when he got to work, retrieving the bowls and tools he washed minutes ago.

  
"Just make sure you return what you don't need to use. And clean up the mess." Was all the Captain said before he left the kitchen.

Eren giggled to himself.

  
"Of course."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for not continuing further. I decided to split it in two because I drew something for this fic but I can't get that up right away. Since I already had a good portion written, I didn't want to delay. Next chapter it'll be concluded, featuring all of the good stuff. \o/
> 
> If you liked it, leave your feedback.  
> Thanks for reading. : )


End file.
